Amusement and exercising device



Feb. 3, 1959 J. GALLO, s9 AMUSEMENT AND EXERCISING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 28, 1956 INVENTOR Jo/zn G'aZZO,97:

ATTORNEYS J. GALLO, SR 2,872,191

AMUSEMENT AND EXERCISING DEVICE Filed Dec. 28, 1956 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS AMUSEMENT AND EXERCISING DEVICE John Gallo, Sr., Boston, Mass.

Application December 28, 1956, Serial No. 631,271

3 Claims. (Cl. 272-73) "The present invention relates to an amusement and exercising device, and more particularly to a simulated pedaled vehicle.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an amusement and exercising device having a seat for the user and foot driven pedals arranged to vertically and longitudinally oscillate the seat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described above in which the exercising features of the invention can be adjusted to increase or decrease the work required.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an amusement and exercising device which will exercise both the hands and legs as Well as back muscles and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an amusement and exercising device which is inexpensive to manufacture, simple to use, and which will provide considerable pleasure to the user while obtaining exercise thereon.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-section of the device.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse cross-section taken .along the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse cross-section taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary transverse cross-section taken along the line 55 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to'the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral indicates generally an amusement and exercising device constructed in accordance with the invention.

The amusement and exercising device 16 includes an inverted U-shaped upright frame member 11 having a horizontal upper bar 12 and a pair of spaced parallel bars 13 and 14 integrally depending from the opposite ends of the bar 12. A pair of spaced parallel horizontally extending frame support bars 15 and 16 extend rearwardly from the U-shaped member 11 and are arcuately connected to the bars 13 and 14, respectively, thereof by means of integral arcuate segments 17 and 18, respectively.

The U-shaped member 11, horizontal members 15 and 16, and arcuate segments 17 and 18 form an integral framework generally indicated at 19. The rear end portions of the members 15 and 16 are provided with upwardly and inwardly extending gooseneck members.

20 and 21, respectively, having upright stub rods 22 and 23, respectively, secured thereto medially thereof. A horizontal rod 24 extends through the lower end portion of the gooseneck members 26 and 21 and the upright stub rods 22 and 23 to which it is secured by welding or the United States Patent' fl Ice like, to maintain the horizontal bars 15 and 16 in spaced relation.

A horizontal bar 25 extends between the upright bars 13 and 14 and is secured thereto by any suitable means, such as a nut 26. The horizontal bar 25 is parallel to the bar 12 and spaced therebeneath. A roller 27 is journaled centrally on the rod 24 and has a pair of spaced parallel annular flanges 28 and 29 on opposite ends thereof. Cotter keys 30 extend through the rod 24 at the opposite ends of the roller 27 to maintain the roller 27 centrally of the rod 24. The upper ends of the upright stub rods 22 and 23 are flattened at 31 and 32, respectively, and have secured thereto bearing members 33 and 34, respectively, by means of securing elements 35.

A shaft 36 is journalled in the bearing 33 and maintained in position therein by collars 37 and 38 and securing nut 39, as best shown in Figure 3. A shaft 40 is journalled in the bearing 34 and maintained in position therein by means of collars 41 and 42 secured in place by a nut 43. The shafts 36 and 40 are arranged in axial alignment and are spaced apart.

' An eccentric link 44 is fixedly secured to the end of the shaft 36 opposite the nut 39, and a second eccentric link 45 is fixedly connected to the shaft 40 at the end thereof opposite the nut 43 in parallel aligned relation to the link 44. A shaft 46 has its opposite ends secured to the links 44 and 45, respectively. The shaft 46 extends parallel to the shafts 36 and 40. is provided with a fixed hub 48 which is secured to the shaft 46 and rotates therewith. An elongated bearing 49 is journalled on the shaft 46 between the sprocket 47 and the link 45. An arcuate bracket 50 is secured to the bearing 49 by welding or the like, and extends generally perpendicularly to the bearing 49 positioned therebeneath.

An elongated tubular bar 51 is secured in forwardly extending generally horizontal position to the bracket 56 by means of bolts 51a. An arcuate leaf spring 52 is secured to the bolts 51a by means of nuts 53 and extends downwardly and forwardly terminating in a horizontally positioned offset end portion 54. A second arcuate leaf spring 55 is positioned beneath the leaf spring 52 in opposed relation thereto and is provided with a horizontally extending offset end portion 56 arranged in spaced generally parallel relation to the offset end portion 54.

The offset end portion 56 on the spring 55 is provided with a downwardly extending flange 57 which engages the head 58 of a bolt 59 extending through the offset end portions 54 and 56 and secured therein by wing nut 60. A coil spring pillar 61 is secured to the spring 52 by means of a rivet 63 and a second coil spring pillar 64 is secured to the spring 55 by means of a rivet 65. The pillars 61 and 64 are arranged in general axial alignment and have the opposite ends of a coil spring 66 engaged thereover and normally biasing the spring arms 52 and 55 outwardly away from each other. The spring arm 55 engages the roller 27 between the flanges 28 and 29, as shown in Figure 4, and is adapted to move thereover.

An upstanding seat post 67 is secured to the bar 51 by means of a bolt 68 and a nut 69, as best shown in Figure 2. An angular brace 76 is secured to the seat post 67 and extends downwardly and forwardly therefrom and is secured to the bar 51 by means of a bolt 71. A transversely extending bearing 72 is secured to the bar 51 by the bolt 71 and by a second bolt 73, as best seen in Figure l. A shaft 74 is journalled in the bearing 72 and has a sprocket 75 fixed thereon to rotate therewith. A chain 76 is trained over the sprocket 47 at one end and over the sprocket 75 at the other end so that move- A sprocket 47 ment of either sprocket 75 or 47 will move the connected sprocket.

A pair of oppositely extending crank arms 77 and 78 are fixed to opposite ends of the shaft 74 and carry oppositely outwardly extending pedals '79 and 86 journalled at their respective outer ends.

A pair of spaced parallel upright levers 81 and 82 are connected at their upper ends by means of a cross bar 83, by means of welding or the like. The cross bar 83 is provided with opposite end portions 84 and 85 on which are attached hand grip members 86 and 87, respectively. The lower ends of the levers 81 and 82 are provided with flattened end portions 88 and 89, respectively. A shaft 90 extends transversely through the flattened end portions 88 and 39 and through the bar 51 to pivotally secure the levers 81 and 82 thereon. Spacer collars 91 and 92 are positioned on the shaft 99 on opposite sides of the bar 51 to maintain the levers 81 and 82 in spaced relation.

A U-shaped bracket 93 is provided with spaced parallel legs 94 and 95 through which extends the horizontal rod to pivotally mount the bracket 93 thereon. A shaft 96 extends through the lower end portion of the legs 94 and 95 so as to pivotally support the bar 51 beneath the rod 25. Spacer collars 97 and 93 are positioned on the shaft 96 on opposite sides of the bar 51 to maintain the legs 94 and 95 in spaced relation thereon. Links 99 and 1% have their respective rear ends connected to the levers 81 and 32, as shown in Figure l, and their respective forward ends connected to the upper ends of the legs 94 and 95.

A tricycle seat 101 is adjustably secured in the upper end of the seat post 67 by means of a set screw 192 to provide vertical adjustment for children of dififerent sizes and ages.

The U-shaped bracket 93 is "positioned on the rod 25 medially thereof and maintained in this position by means of cotter keys 103 and washers 104 and 105.

In the use and operation of the invention, the user thereof sits on the seat 101, placing his feet on the pedals '79 and 89 and grasping the hand grips 86 and 87. Rotation of the shaft 74 by means of the pedals 79 and 80 will move the chain 76 rotating the shaft 46 so that the bar 51 will move eccentrically around the shafts 36 and 40. The forward end of the bar 51 will swing on the bracket 93 and through the links 99 and 1% will cause the levers 81 and 82 to oscillate about the shaft 90 moving the hand grips 86 and 87 forwardly and rearwardly with each revolution of the pedals 79 and 80.

As the rear end of the bar 51 moves eccentrically about the centers of the shafts 36 and the spring 66 and the flattened springs 52 and will be compressed and will resist the movement of the bar 51 downwardly with relation to the frame 19. The wing nut can be adjusted to vary the resistance to the movement of the bar 51.

Thus it can be seen that relatively stiff pressure can be applied to the springs 52, 55 and 66 so that downward movement of the bar 51 is materially resisted while upward movement thereof is assisted. The springs 52, 55 and 66 will also serve tobalance the weight of the user on seat 101 so that the resistance to rotation of the pedals 79 and will be relatively constant throughout the rotation thereof.

in the event that the legs of the user of the device are weak andvcannot completely rotate the pedals 79 and 80, pressure applied by hand to the cross bar 83 will assist the legs of the user to rotate the pedals 79 and Si Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An amusement and exercising device comprising anintegral framework, an elongated bar overlying said framework, rotatable eccentric means connecting said bar at one end to said integral framework, links pivotally connecting said bar at the other end to said integral framework, crank means rotatably disposed on said bar. means connecting said crank means and said eccentric means for swingably moving said bar on said integral framework, a seat mounted on said bar, and resilient means extending between said bar and said integral framework adjacent to said eccentric means for resisting movement of said bar toward said integral framework and aiding movement of said bar away from said framework.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein hand operated levers are pivotally secured to said bar and link means pivotally connect said levers to said first named links for assisting in moving said bar with relation to said framework.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises a pair of spaced spring arms engaging respectively said bar and said framework, a coil spring extending between said spring arms and adapted to be compressed on a relative movement of said spring arms toward each other and adjustable means securing said spring arms together whereby the effect of said resilient means on the movement of said bar with relation to said framework may be suitably varied.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

